I put this all in primary for ten days in a brew bin and have now moved it to secondary in a pressure barrel with a further 200g of dark brown sugar, hopefully it’ll be ready by the 27th for some birthday drinks!

This is the first time I’ve ‘jazzed up’ a basic beer kit some I’m very interested to see (and taste) the results.I’ll let you know how it turns out!

Sorry I'm late replying Dave, been away for a few days, I usually prime the pressure barrels with 3 ozs, of sugar and I have pressure gauges on each one so it's easier to keep tabs on whats going on, hope that helps.

Sorry I'm late replying Dave, been away for a few days, I usually prime the pressure barrels with 3 ozs, of sugar and I have pressure gauges on each one so it's easier to keep tabs on whats going on, hope that helps.

Do you have a picture of the pressure barrel you are using?Mine is VERY old and I picked it up from a charity shop, Im thinking of 'upgrading' soon

Seems like I went overboard with the primer, nothings gone boom but the Stout is very 'active'.Taste wise im really impressed, the black treacle really comes through, im looking forward to having a propper try after its had a couple more weeks ageing

Morning David, late replying again I've been really busy, ever thing seems to be happening at once, I've been stripping the Katie apple tree for cider making, six wheelbarrows full, still collecting brambles for wine, got five gallons on the go now and picked forty pounds of Czar plums for wine too, the pressure barrels I have are three King Kegs,like you, bought second hand and a Boots,one we bought in the 80's and still going strong at the moment I'm only using two, both full of cider, but not for long .

Morning David, late replying again I've been really busy, ever thing seems to be happening at once, I've been stripping the Katie apple tree for cider making, six wheelbarrows full, still collecting brambles for wine, got five gallons on the go now and picked forty pounds of Czar plums for wine too, the pressure barrels I have are three King Kegs,like you, bought second hand and a Boots,one we bought in the 80's and still going strong at the moment I'm only using two, both full of cider, but not for long .

The one I have is from Boots aswell (via the charity Shop), it seems to be holding up well though!Id love to make Cider, I planted a Kingston Black not sol long ago but its still a baby, I need to get another verity to 'breed' it with though....

Peeing down here this morning, I was going to pick the rest of the plums today, so that's messed that up, glad your barrel's still O.K. I planted some cider trees three years ago, first crop this year, three apples off four trees, might get an eggcup full of the amber liquid

Peeing down here this morning, I was going to pick the rest of the plums today, so that's messed that up, glad your barrel's still O.K. I planted some cider trees three years ago, first crop this year, three apples off four trees, might get an eggcup full of the amber liquid

What trees did you plant? Im trying to select somthing that will polonate my Kingston Black, and advice or recomendations?

Morning, I planted four Kingston Blacks into an existing orchard where the original trees had died, blown over, ect. there's a variety of trees, from cookers to eaters and also some pear trees (Hazel Pears they call them round here) but all of them are really old so I don't know what type of tree they are, I've also put in some some supermarket trees, plum, apple and pear, they all seem to be doing O.K. though we get a bit of deer damage now and again.

I put this all in primary for ten days in a brew bin and have now moved it to secondary in a pressure barrel with a further 200g of dark brown sugar, hopefully it’ll be ready by the 27th for some birthday drinks!

That sounds similar to a recipe for Theakstons Old Peculier I once tried. It was lush. I normally use 80grms of priming sugar in a 5 gall barrel.